1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to lumbar support devices, for seats.
2. Related Art
Lumbar supports and head rests for seats, particularly automobile seats, are known. Some prior art lumbar supports extend a paddle towards the seat occupant, See, e.g. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/798,657. Another type of lumbar support uses a mechanical extender to push a rigid pressure plate towards a seat occupant, See, e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 4,295,681.
These devices provide little flexibility in the surface of the support proximal to the seat occupant, because the contact surface is small, rigid and under pressure. Rigid pressure surfaces are less comfortable for the passenger.
Moreover, as seat designs are modified to incorporate more comfort devices, such as duct work for heating and cooling, the amount of space available inside seats for lumbar support devices shrinks. Smaller lumbar supports exacerbate the issue of pressure surface in flexibility.
There is a need in the art for a an ergonomic weight support which is more flexible at the surface applying pressure to the passenger, which occupies no more space than prior supports, and which is inexpensive and easy to manufacture and install.